President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy chaired a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which introduced restrictive measures against businessmen Dmytro Firtash and Pavlo Fuks, as well as extended sanctions imposed on a number of individuals and legal entities three years ago, which expire this month.
"At the suggestion of the Security Service of Ukraine, a decision was made to impose sanctions against Dmytro Firtash, Pavlo Fuks, Serhiy Chemezov, Mykhailo Shelkov," the President said.
As Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov explained at the briefing following the meeting, a full package of sanctions was imposed on businessman Dmytro Firtash due to the fact that, according to the SSU and intelligence, the businessman's titanium companies supplied raw materials to Russian military enterprises.
The reason for the imposition of sanctions against Russian businessman Pavlo Fuks was numerous violations during the obtaining of licenses for the development of hydrocarbon deposits.
In addition, a decision was made to impose sanctions against 12 people who, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, are in the status of subjects of increased criminal influence, leaders of criminal groups.
The decision of the National Security and Defense Council also imposed sanctions on four legal entities and six individuals who are affiliated with the Russian secret services. These individuals are directly involved in the development of the components of the Petya virus, carried out its administration, modernization, and organized cyberattacks on critical infrastructure in Ukraine. These individuals are already on the US sanctions list, and US law enforcement bodies are prosecuting them in criminal proceedings for cyberattacks against the United States.
Also at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, the Strategy for the Development of the Defense Industry of Ukraine was approved.
"The strategy defines the main directions and tasks of the state military-industrial policy. In particular, it envisages the improvement of the system of standardization, unification and product quality management in accordance with NATO standards," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Also, according to the President, the issue of military-technical cooperation of Ukraine with other states was considered.
Another issue considered at the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council concerned the revocation of a number of licenses of unscrupulous subsoil users for the extraction of minerals, including titanium, hydrocarbons and ores.
"Licenses, in particular for natural gas production, have been returned to the state," the President said.
This is the first time when two licenses for the production of natural gas and crude oil have been voluntarily returned to the state.